Chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine.



10,873,486 PATLNTLD DLG. 1o, 1907.

H. A. BALLARD. y

CHAIN STITCH SHOE SEWING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAL.13, 1905.

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PATENTEDDBG. 10, 19ov.

H. A. BALLARD. CHAIN STITCH SHOE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1905.

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W'- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- www? B NoA 873,486. PATENTED DEG. 10, 1907.

H. A. BALLARD. CHAIN STITCH sHoH SHWIHC MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB.13,A1905.

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UNTED STATEE 'PATENT ,OFFEQEQ HARRIE A. BALLARD, OF ASHLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSGNOR O '.II-IE BOYLSTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, O F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF` l NEW JERSEY.

CHAIN-STITCH SHOE-SEWING MACHINE.

justed to take thread from the Ysupp y in proportion to the length ofthe stitch which is being sewed, and to so measure it that the stitch shall be tight or loose or of any inter.- mediate tension when set. f

The sewing machine in connection with which the present improved thread-measuring device is shown is similar to that illustrated in my co-pending application, Serial No. 242,489, filed January 24, 1905. The

Ahereinafter-described thread-measuring device comprises a thread-iinger common to most machines oi this type,-and means for actuating-the thread-finger to draw a predetermined amount of threadfrom the looper for each stitch. The thread-finger receives a back-and-forth motion from Va cam provided -for it, and in addition thereto it receives a lateral motion from the' mechanism which feeds the work. These two motions are so 1 timed that they reduce a four-way motion of the threa -inger, of which-the length of the lateral motion is increased or decreased as the feeding motion 1s increased or decreased.

An adjusting device is provided for so regulating the lateral movement of the threadfinger that the latter may be caused to draw more or less thread in proportion to the length of the stitch. It is so constructed that it may be set to cause the thread-finger to draw a maximum portion of threadffor the formation of a loose stitch, or it may be set to any desired position of adjustment and there- .by demand only the portion of thread necessary for a stitch of the desired tension.

Of the accompanyingdrawin'gs, forming a part of this speciiieation z-Figure 1 is a front elevation of afchainstitch shoe-sewing niachine equipped with the heremdescribed thread-'measuring device. Fig. 2 1s a front elevation oi the thread-measuring device in another position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicatioil filed March 13. 1905. Serial No. 249.693.

Patented Dc. 1o, 1907.

of the device. Fig. 4 issimilar to Fig. 2, ex-

cept that the device is' adjusted to a different p position. Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate the consecutive positions of the thread-finger during the forming of a stitch.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts, wherever they occur.

For the pur ose of clearly 'illustrating the cooperation ci) `the' herein-described `device with that of the several elements of a sewing machine,-Fig. 1 shows a complete sewingmachine head-into which the device is incorporated, The head comprises a frame 10 suitably mounted in a standard 11, and having a cam-shaft. 12 suitably journaled therein to be rotated in the usual way. A'needle 13, which is of the hooked oscillatory type, a looper 14, a thread-finger 15, and actuating mechanisms therefor constitute the sewing or stitch-forming mechanism. The needle 13 is mounted upon a stud 16 which is ri idly affixed to a movable dovetailed fee ingblock 17 in laterally extending guides 18 18 on the 'frame 10. The needle is adapted to be oscillated upon the stud 16 by an eccentrically actuated rod 19 connected to an eccentric 20 keyed upon the 'shaft 12. The connections between the needle andthe eccentric 19 are such that the needlemay be 22 on the stud 16 prevent axialmovement of the needle relatively to the stud.

A lever 23 pivoted by"a stud 24 to the frame 10 has at one end a trundle-roll 25 which occupies a cam-groove 26 in a.' cammember 27 keyed to the shaft 12. The other end of the lever-23 'has a' substantially radial slot 28, which is clampedva stud 29. The' stud 29 projects into a vertical slot '30A formed inv a late 31 alixed'tothe feeding block 17, so t iat as the lever is oscillated by the cam 26, the stud 29 carriedby it reciprocates the feeding-block in the lguides 18. By reason of the shoulder 21 and collar 22 on the rigidly-secured stud 16, the needle 13 reci rocates with the feeding-block independent y y ofthe oscillation caused by the eccentric rod- 19. The lateral reciprocating motion'oi the needle effects the feedin of the work-since the motion from right to left occurs while the needle is in thework, and the motion left to right when. the needle isdieengaged' from the work. The feeding movement oiV fromi` the needle and consequently the length of` each stitch may be varied by changing the position of the stud 29 in the slot 28. In

Figs. 1 and 2, the stud 29 is shown set at the f extreme remains the same so that the needle 4 the shaft 12.

f tated about a fixed axis.

may always stop in line with the looper 14 for apurpose hereinafter explained. In Fig.

A4, the stud 29 is set at the other extreme of the-slot 30. By reason of this adjustment, the movement of the lever 23 effects a maximum movement of the feeding-block and needle, as indicated by the space between the full anddotted lines, indicating the needle and right-hand end of the feeding-block.

The looper 14, of which the actuating mechanism is not illustrated in detail, is of the tubular type, and is adapted to be roy As illustrated in Fig. vl, the thread :o is drawn through the looper and,l throu h an eccentric nozzle 32, formed at the ower end thereof. The looper is rotatably mounted in a bracket 33, projecting forward from the frame 10 and is provided with a spirai gear 34 which intermeshes with a spiral gear 35 affixed to a shaft` 36. The shaft 36.is suitably journaled in fixed bearings and receives an intermittent rotation from a mutilated gear 37 affixed to The intermittent rotation of the shaft 36 is such as to cause the eccentric nozzle 32 of the looper to describe one and one-half turns to the right and onehalf a turn to the left around the barb of the needle for each rotation of the shaft 12.

The description so far deals only with stitch-forming mechanism common 'to the machine shown and described in my said copending application, and the following description refers to the threadfinger or thread-measuring device which constitutes the feature of the invention.

As previously stated, the thread-finger, Which'draws the required amount of thread 'for each stitch from the nozzle of the looper is indicated at 15. The thread-finger 15 is pivote'd at 38 to a sleeve 39 movably mount ed upon a rod 40 of which the ends are held in brackets 41 4l projecting from the fra ine 10.

The shape of the lower end of the threadfinger is best shown in Figs. 1 and 9. backward and forward oscillation or vibrat ing motion is impartedto the thread-finger by a lever 42 pivoted upon the rod 40. The

.lever 42 has at one end a trundle-roll 43 which occupies a earn-groove 44 in the cammember 27 The other end of the lever to describe a four-way motion.

is in the form of a fork 45, which straddles a portion of the thread-finger intermediate of its ends. It is evident, therefore, that as the lever 42 is oscillated by the cam 44, that the thread-finger isoscillated backward and forward on the rod or pivot 40, and ina plane parallel to the plane of oscillation of the needle. This motion ofthe thread-finger is common to the majority of machines of this type, but with it is combined a lateral vibrating movement which is dependent in one respect upon the length of travel of the feeding block 17. To. this end the thread-finger is connected to the feeding-block 17 by an adjustable connecting device having universal joints adapted to permit the first-mentioned vibration of the thread-finger relatively to the feeding-block. This connecting device comprises alstud 46 which is affixed tovand projects forwardly from the feeding-block 17. A. collar 47 is loosely mounted upon the stud. 46 and has provisions for carrying a screw-threaded stem 48 to which it is pivotally connected by a pin, extending in a direction transverse to the stud 46. The screwthreaded stem 48 is threaded into a member 49 which is pivotally connected to the threadfinger 15 by a pin 50. It is evident, by reason of this connection between the threadfinger and the feeding-block, that when the feeding block is reciprocated as previously described, it imparts lateral motion to the thread-finger, and that, by reason. of the con.- nection between the thread-finger and the lever 42, the thread-finger is free to move laterally with relation to the forked end 45 of said lever, and yet remain in operative relation thereto. .These two motions of thc thread-nger are so timed that they cause it The lateral movement of the thread-finger and consequently the tension of the stitches may be varied by a device which changes the lateral movement from a rectilinear to an oscillating movement. This device comprises the collar 39, which, as already stated, is movably mounted upon the rod 40 and a stop-nut 51 screw-threaded upon the rod 40. The thread-finger is provided with a projection 52 near its upper end which is a( apte'd to iinpinge against a collar`53 stationarily mounted upon the rod 40, between the lever 42 and the lcollar 39.

The function of the projection 52 and lcollar 53 is that of limiting the movement of the thread-nger toward the right, relatively to. the collar 39, as illustrated in Fig. l. In this figure, the lower end of the thread-finger is in its forward position, which is directly 11nder the nozzle 32 of the looper 14, (see also Fig. 5). yIn Fig. 1, the thread-fin`ger is also at the right extreme of its lateral motion, being held there by the feeding block 17 which is likewisel at the right extreme o'f its motion. When the feeding-block moves to this position and carries with it the threadinger, it causes the projection 52 to impinge against the under surface of the collar 53 and collar 39 to impinge against the collar 53. It is evident, therefore, that the normal position of the thread-finger is determined by theV nose 52 and collar 39, which both'impinge against the collar 53. When the feeding 'block ,17 is reciprocated to the left, 'to feed the work, it moves the thread-finger 15 to? the left'. The resistance of the thread upon the lower end of the thread-finger prevents i the'latter from oscillating upon the pin 38,

and holds the nose 52 against the collar 53. The thread-finger and collar 39 therefore move rectilinearly as .a unit until the .latter is ar- .by the lever rested by the stopnut 51. yIf the sto -nut is so adjusted on the rod that the col ar 39 impinges against it before the completion of the stroke of the block 17 the remaining movement of the block 17 causes the lower end of the thread-finger to move at'increased speed about the pivot 38. When the parts have moved to this position, they are as shown in Fig. 7.

g -The relative movements of the needle 13, the thread-finger 15, and the nozzle 32 are illustrated in Figs.` 5 to 9.` Fig. 5. shows these members in normal position, that is, previous to the first movement of forming a stitch in the work. In this figure, the needle is tothe right of 'the looper, preparatory to bein inserted inthe work. Fig. 6 shows the needle after it has penetrated the work and emerged from the other side thereof, and also shows the position of the thread-finger after 'the rearward movement thereof caused 42. 'It may be here stated, that the backward and forward oscillation of the thread-finger never varies, and consequently the first movement of the thread-finger draws the saine amount of thread from the looper under all conditions. After the thread-finger and needle have moved to the position shown inFiff. 6, the feeding-block 17 is reciprocated to the left, carrying with it the needle and the tliread-nger. This movement carries Athe needle to a position in alineinent with the nozzle 32 and causes the thread-finger to move in a lateral direction. In describing the second motion, the threadfinder moves to a greater distance v form the nozzle of the loope'r, thereby drawing fromthe nozzle the portion of thread determined b the movement caused by the feedingbibck and regulated by the stop-nut 51.

y `The needle and thread-imgenremain m the position shown in Fig. l7 during the .actuation of the looper. The louper is, caused to, describe 1% turns about the barb of the needle, as previously stated, and comes to a state of rest in the position shown in Fig. 8, after having laid'the thread aroundthai-needle.. The needle is then caused to recede, drawing the thread through` the work and through the vibrm a loose stitch.

previous stitch, and at the same time the thread-finger is oscilla-'ted forward by the lever 42, thereby disengaging itself from the thread, so that the thread is free to be drawn into the work by the needle. This leaves thc parts in the position shown in Fig. 9. The I next action is that of the feeding-block 17 which is caused to move to the right to its original position. In so doing, the feedingblock cairies with it the needle and the thread-finger to their original position, as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 2'shows the stud 29, adjusted to move the feeding-block for a short stitch, and Fig. 4 shows the stud adjusted to iiiove the feeding-block for a long stitch. So long as the thread-finger is permitted to move rectilinearly with the-feeding-block 17, the end of the thread-finger which draws the thread moves only as fast as the feeding block, but when the rectilinear movement of the thread-linger is arrested by the stop-nut 51 and oscillation of the thread- 'linger occurs during the remainderl of the stroke of the feeding block 17 the lower end of the thread-finger travels to a correspondingly increased distance.

In Figs. 1 and 2, considerable space is left between the sleeve 39 andthe stop-nutv 51.

As a result of this, adjustment, the threadfinger receives from thefeeding-block 17 simply a lateral rectilinear motion equal to the motion of the block itself, inasmuch as the movement of the thread-finger is no more than enough to cause the sleeve 39 to impinge against the stop nut 51. The thread-finger is therefore caused to draw from the looper a relatively short length of thread, and the stitch formed thereof is cohsequently a tigh*L stitch. A different adjustment is shown in F ig. 4 to illustrate the osition'to which the parts may be set to In this figure, the stopnut 51 is adjusted to a position closer to the s'leeve53, and as a result, the greater proportion of movement of the thread-linger is oscillation, and since the thread-en aging end of the thread-fingeris moved furt er by oscillation than by rectilinear movement, the thread-finger draws a greater proportion of 'thread than it would if more freedom 0frnovement were given to the sleeve 39. l

v In Fig. 4, as previously stated, the stud 29 is so adjusted as to cause a maximummotion of the feeding block. It is shown that when the feedingblock is at the left-handposition, lthe slet 28 in the lever 23 is parallelfto the slot 30 inthe plate 31, and consequently the left-hand extreme of the feeding-block is not affected by an adjustment of the stud 29, the variation ,in movement of the...feeding-block affecting only the right-hand extreme of movement thereof.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention, and described-a way of censtructing and usingthe same, although without' attempting to set forth all the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, l declare that what I claim is 1. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including4 a hooked needle, a looper and means for operating them, a thread-finger, workfeeding mechanism adapted to feed the work one step for each stitch, and adapted to cause said thread-finger to draw from the thread supply a predetermined supply of y thread through the looper for each stitch.

2. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including a hooked needle, a looper and means for operating them, a thread-finger, workfeeding'mechanism adapted to feed the work lone step for each stitch, means for -varying supply of thread for each stitch.

4. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including a hooked needle, a loo er and means for operating them, a threa -finger, Workfeeding mechanism adapted to feed the work one step for each stitch, means for varyin the length of the steps, and means actuate( by said work-feeding mechanism for causing said thread-finger to engage the thread between the looper and the work and to draw from the thread-supply a supply of thread for each stitch in proportion to the length of the steps.

5. A shoe sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including a movable thread-inger adapted to engage the thread, and means for vibrating said thread- 4iinger in a predetermined direction, Workfeeding means adapted to feed the work one step for each stitch, kand means actuated by said Work-feeding means for vibrating said thread-finger Atransversely of said predetermined direction.

6. A- shoe sewing machine. ncdmprising stitch-formin mechanism including a movable thread-gmger adapted to en ave the thread, and means for vibrating said Jrlneadfinger in a predetermined direction and to a predetermined extent, work-feeding means adapted to feed the Work one step for each stitch, ine'ans for varying the length' of the .evs/iss feeding steps, and means connecting said work-feeding means and said thread-linger whereby said work-feeding means vibratcs said. thread-iinger to an extent proportionate to the length of said steps, and in a direction transverse to said predetermined direction. i

7. A shoe-sewing machine comprising a thread-finger mounted upon a universal joint and adapted to engage the thread, means for oscillating said t iread-iingerbaek and forth, a. reciprocating work-feeding member adapted to feed the work step-bystep, and means connecting saidv feeding member and -said thread-linger whereby reciprocation of said feeding member oscillates said thread-nger from side to side independently of the back-and-forth oscillation thereof. y

8. A shoe-sewing machine comprising stitch-forming mechanism including a hooked needle, a looper and means for operating them, a movable thread-inger'adapted to engage the thread between the work and the looper, and means for feeding the work and for actuating said thread-linger simultaneously.

9. A chain-stitch shoe-sewing machine comprising stitch forming mechanism including a hooked needle, a looper and means for operating them, a movable thread-linger adapted to engage the thread between the work and the looper, means for feeding the work by step-by-step movements, and for actuating said thread-finger, and means for varying the length of said movements and the length of movement of said threadfinger.

10. A shoe-sewing machine comprising reciprocating work-feeding means, a threadiinger connected to said feeding means and adapted to be reciprocated thereby in the same direction as said feeding means, and adapted to be moved in a plane transverse to and independently of said reciprocating movement, means for moving said threadfinger transversely of said reciprocating movement, and means for varying the length of reciprocation of said feeding means and said thread-iinger coincidently.

11. A shoe-sewing machine, comprising a thread-linger adapted to oscillate and to: move rectilinearly, work -feeding means adapted to reciprocate said thread-finger, and means for causing the reciprocation of said thread-finger to be either oscillatory or rectilinear.

12, A shoe-sewing machine comprising a thread-finger adapted to oscillate and to move rectilinearly, work feeding means adapted to reciprocate said thread-iinger, and means for causing rectilinear or oscillatory motion of said thread-finger to change from one to the other.

13. A shoe-sewing machine comprising a thread-finger adapted to oscillate and to move rectilinearly, Work feeding means adapted to reciprocate said thread-finger by I a stroke of predetermined length, and adreciprocatory member, an oscillato justable means for causing rectilinear or oscillator;T motion of said thread-iinger by a stroke of predetermined length, and adjustable means'for causing rectilinear or oscillatory motion of said thread-mager to change.' from one to the other at anyl desired point of said stroke. i y l A14. A shoe-sewing machine comprising a threadfinger pivoted to said member, Wor -feeding mea'ns adapted to reciprocate said .threadiinger and said member as a unit, and adv f j ustable means for limiting the movement of said member only.

1.5. A shoe-sewing machine comprising a member, adapted to recprocateflaterally 2u with relation to the machine' and oscillate ber as a unit in a plane'transyjerse to the 'di rection of reciprocation of said member and independently of lateral movementof said thread-iinger .and said member.

signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

vHARRIE A. ALLARD.

Witnesses:

C. C. STECHER, M. B. MAY.

oscillating said thread-finger and said memt in aplane transverse to the direction of re- In testimony whereof I have affixed my 

